April Book Review | Captain Freeman Inn

April showers bring May flowers…or at least lets hope so! Everything is coming to life on Cape Cod, and we are busy getting the gardens ready for summer.

I am getting back into my evening reading and read two books last month. It’s always interesting to think why we choose the books we do. I love browsing the bookshelves in a bookstore and must confess I am swayed by the cover. I am sure publishers have done quite a bit of research on colors and design to attract us to their books. The first book on my list was the Lilac Girls and is a perfect example of a very pleasing book cover. I happen to love lilacs and the girls walking hand in hand seem to be very close- it seems like a very rosy, endearing story- or not!

I had resolved not to read any more Holocaust novels for awhile but after reading the cover I just knew I had to read this book.

The Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly- This is the story of three different woman- Caroline Ferriday, Herta Oberheuser and Kasia Kuzmerick, beginning in 1939 just months before the start of World War II. This captivating story is mostly true and how their lives intersect at the end makes for a compelling and truly remarkable story!

Each of the characters are perfectly developed and one forms an attachment to each- in an odd way even the evil anti-heroine I had hope for. The chapters keep rotating between the three characters beginning with Caroline, a single socialite and former actress living in New York City. She volunteers at the French Embassy trying to get care packages to the children and families in France. Kasia is the most spunky of the characters – and is helping the Polish underground to fight the Germans. She is caught and sent to a concentration camp along with her mother, sister and boyfriend. The last character is the anti-heroine- Herta who is a female doctor in Germany. Being female she is having a hard time entering the world of surgery. She accepts a job offer as a doctor in a woman’s concentration camp.

Please note some of the scenes are horrible and gut- wrenching. Some nights I just had to put the book down because I just could not imagine anything more horrible happening to such innocent people. In the end I did finish the book and am glad I did. It always comes back to the strength and absolute amazement of family, friendship, love and the determination to live.

The book is very well written and researched- as can be seen in the note section. I would highly recommend it.

The House by the Sea by Santa Montefiore- A dear guest gave me this book and after reading the Lilac Girls I knew this was a perfect read as this author writes “fairy tale” stories that are so romantic, easy to read and great character development. I really do love this author. This book is a perfect summer read. Not to give away any of the details- let’s just say there is plenty of love, beautiful descriptions of Tuscany and Devon and a captivating and VERY pleasing ending.

Happy weekend everyone. I am off to take Harrison for a nice long beach walk. And oh- what do you think of his summer do?